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Earlier this week I wrote about why I’m using Twitter.  I really like it to keep up with my friends in the SQL Server world like Brad McGehee.   Nik Kalyani of the DotNetNuke Corporation is also a prolific Tweeter. 

As promised, here’s my post about San Francisco Bay Area digital marketing consultant, Ted Prodromou.  Through his consulting firm, NetBizExpert, Ted helps his clients make their websites and blogs “famous” on the internet using blogging, podcasting, social networking, and best practice search engine optimization (SEO) techniques.  He’s also a big fan of Twitter.  Here’s an excerpt of our chat:

Why are people using Twitter?  

Initially people weren’t very creative and they actually typed in “drinking coffee” or “going to lunch”.  Over time people have become more creative. Now they post links to useful information, ask for help, ask provocative questions and pass along interesting news related to their niche.

What kind of information can I find using Twitter?

You can enter any search term in http://search.twitter.com and find many conversations in progress related to your search term.  People discuss the weather, ask for help with their iPhone, talk about sex and share extremely personal details on Twitter. Can you say “too much information?”

Ted Prodromou

What are some useful Twitter apps?

I use TwitterBerry to Tweet on my Blackberry and TweetDeck on my PC. Some other great apps are:

• TweetStats: Provides detailed usage information about any Twitter user
• Monitter: Let’s you search for Twitter conversations within a certain distance from your location. This lets you find local people that can use your service or product.
• SnapTweet: Lets you Tweet pictures from your Flickr account
• 12seconds.tv: Gives you the ability to tweet 12 second videos you create with your webcam

Do big corporations use Twitter?

Oh, yes definitely.  Corporations are using Twitter for team communication when they work remotely. Companies are also scanning the internet for negative conversations about their products and services and engage the complainers in conversation immediately to solve their problem. Some creative uses by corporations include:

• Comcast provides tech support to customers who are waiting for the tech to arrive.  (Here’s an article in Business Week about it.)
• H&R Block gave away free tax software in Twitter contests then they provided tech support via Twitter
• Intuit gave away free software in Twitter contests and provided tech support
• 800 Dentist engages people that are afraid of the dentist on Twitter

Should small businesses use Twitter? 

Of course small business owners should use Twitter!  By using Monitter they can search for people talking about problems that their product or service can solve.  They can join in the conversation and instantly create a relationship with that person.

What about independent consultants?

They can use it the same way. People use the internet to find solutions to their problems. People share everything on the internet so you can find highly targeted leads for free.

Lastly, I know you attended the Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco in March.  Can you mention a few of the more interesting things you learned at the conference?

The internet has been around for a long time and companies are really starting to figure out how to leverage its unlimited potential. Even though we’ve been through Web 1.0 and now Web 2.0 is turning into social media, it all comes back to relationships. People buy from people they know and trust. Web 1.0 was about building static websites that promoted a companies products and services. There was no interaction between the customer and the company.

Today the web is interactive and conversations are everywhere. If you’re not engaging your customers in conversation online you’re missing the boat. It’s funny because we’ve come full circle, back to the days before the internet.

Thanks, Ted!

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